Grooving machine



May 18, 1948. P. A. ABE 2,441,915

I GROOVING MACHINE Filed April 5, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 nvvav TOR y PHILBEI? A. ABE a ATTORNEYS May 18, 1948. P. A. ABE t 2,441,915

GROOVING MACHINE I Filed April 5,}944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q PHILBEIZ A..ABE

ATTORN EYS I May 18, 1948. P; A. ABE

GROOVING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 3, 1944 gum-n 1 INVENTOR PH/LBER A. ABE v ATTORN EYS Patented May 18, 1948 GROOVING MACHINE Philber A. Abe, Sidney, Ohio, assignor to The Monarch Machine Tool Company, Sidney, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 3, 1944, Serial No. 529,339

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to machine tools 1 and more particularly to machines for cutting lubricating grooves in the ways of lathes, planers, grinding machines, etc.

In the past it has been customary to cut grooves in the bearing surfaces of carriages by hand; using a hammer and chisel and gaging the groove design by eye or pattern. This method is not only slow and introduces diificulty of duplicating a given design, but unless extreme care is taken the grooves themselves may be uneven and perhaps cut to different depths throughout their lengths.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a machine which after being set by adjustment, will cut grooves to a uniform depth.

Another object is to provide a machine for cutting lubricating grooves in the ways of carriages and conforming to any design or shape with a provision for changing the pattern of the grooves and also their depth and the crosssectional shape of each groove. j

Still another object is to provide a machine for forming lubricating grooves in ground surfaces and having any curvilinear shape and occurring in any desired sequence.

These objects are attained in brief by mounting the carriage workpiece in an inverted position on a reciprocatory table or bed and moving the way to be grooved past a rotary cutting tool that is automatically given a transverse movement, which when combined with the longitudinal movement of the carriage, will cut a groove extending over a series of positive and negative loops.

The invention will be better understood when reference is made to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 represents a vertical section, partly in elevation,.of the improved machine.

Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view taken along.

line 22 in Figure 1. The motor is shown in elevation. v

Figure 3 illustrates a section taken along line 3-3 in Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a partial horizontal and partial ver- Referring more particularly to Figure '7, the workpiece I may constitute a portion of a carriage in an inverted position and is provided with the usual flat sliding surfaces 2 and V-shaped grooves 3. The purpose of the improved machine is to cut the lubricating grooves 4 along each of these surfaces, the grooves preferably taking a sinusoidal shape so as to extend throughout the entire length and width of the bearing surfaces. As explained hereinbefore, such grooves were out,

prior to the present invention, by hand according to a pattern that was marked on the surfaces or else solely by eye.

The workpiece is bolted or clamped to a reciprocatory table 5 shown in Figure 1 andthis table is adapted to move over the ways of a heavy bed 6. There is a bracket 1 extending downwardly from the table, this bracket carrying a pair of oppositely disposed half nuts 8 which are adapted to be brought into engagement with a lead screw 9 when a lever It is operated. The worm 9 is given a rotary movement through suitable gearing (not shown) actuated by a pulley l I driven through a series of belts l2 and an intermediate pulley !3 from a motor M. A hand wheel l5 may be secured to the bracket 1' and is connected through suitable gearing (not shown) to the table 5 and the bed in order to move the table manually with respect to the bed When desired.

There is a cutter head It for performing the grooving operation, this head being carried by a spindle I! which is mounted on ball bearings 18 and positioned within a stationary housing l9.

The upper end of the spindle is secured to the shaft 20 of a motor 2|. The motor and the housing are carried on a vertical slide 22 provided with a tongue 23 which is received by a groove in a heavy vertical member 24 forming part of the main frame. A metal block indicated at 25 is bolted to the slide 22, this block being adapted to be received by a relatively wide vertical slot 25 formed in the member 2 3. A screw 21 is threadingly engaged with the block 25 and is journaled at the top in a bearing 28 provided on the member 24. Thescrew rod 21 terminates in a hand Wheel 29. When the latter is turned, the motor 2| and the housing l9 which carries the cutter head are moved in the vertical direction so as to regulate the depth of cut.

At a position approximately midway. between the cutter head and the hand wheel, the vertical member 24 merges into a relatively large and heavy circular plate 30 which is provided on its rear face as viewed in Figure 1, with a hormon tally extending wedge-shaped tongue indicated at 3! This tongue is slidably carried on a wedgeshaped groove 32 shown more clearly in Figure 2, this groove being formed in a circular plate member 33 of approximately the same size as the member (it. The plate member 33 is bolted or otherwise secured to a relatively large housing or slide 34 which has a pair of upstanding flange portions 35, 355 which serve as restraining slides for permitting the housing 34 and the associating parts,- including the member 24, motor 2| and the cutter head housing #8, to move transversely-of the machine.

The portions 35, 35 of the housing. are provided with groundvertical surfaces 31, 38 and the latter are adapted to bear directly against a sliding surface formed on the front side (as seen in Figure l) of a goose neck over-arm 39. The latter has a rear sliding surface 49 with which contact is made by the sliding surface 31 of the flange 35 through adjustment gibs 4|. Shoulders 42 are provided on opposite sides of the goose neck. 39 and straps 43 are bolted to thefiange portions 35, 3% for riding on these shoulders. Thus, the housing 34 is adapted to slide along a horizontal trackway formed'on opposite sides of the goose neck 39 and theentire structure, including the vertical member 24, associated plates 3%) and 33, the motor 2| and the cutter head housing 29 are supported thereby.

The goose neck or frame 39 is a relatively large but hollow casting extending over the entire width of the machine and is supported through a vertical portion it having a tapered inner wall 45. Vertically extending ribs 46 maybeprovided at specified positions throughout the length of the arm 39 for strengthening purposes.

In order to move the housing .34 transversely of the machine there is provided a screw which is carried at the remote end inc, bearing 48 supported by one of the ribs 46. The end of the rod 41 nearer the front face of the machine is supported by a bracket 49 bolted or otherwise secured to the goose neck 39 and this end of the rod terminates in a hand wheel 50. The housing 34 is provided with a pair of blocks which are secured together and are bolted to a flat sur face 52 formed on top of the housing. These blocks are provided With a threaded bore (not shown) which threadingly engages the screw 47. Thus, when the hand wheel 50 is rotated, the entire structure shownin Figure 2 with the exception of the goose neck is caused to move transversely of the machine, therefore carryingwith it the cutter head It.

Thelower end of the goose neck which includes the walls as and d5 terminates in a horizontal wall portion 53 which rests on and is secured as by bolts 54 to the wall 55 of a base casting 56. The latter and also the vertical portion of the goose neck are hollow in order to receive operating mechanism for controlling a slow swinging motion imparted to the cutter head as will be explained presently.

In addition to providing a, vertical movement of the cutter head controllable by the hand wheel 29 and a horizontal movement controllable by the hand wheel 56, it is desirable when operating mit thelatter to swing in a vertical plane. Thus, the member 24 and its plate must be adapted to be swung through an angle determined by the amount of taper given to the sides of a V.-shaped the cutting tool along tapered surfaces, to pergroove formed in the work piece I. For this 'pur-.

pose, the housing 34 is provided with a circular ,4 flange 51 which is provided with an annular T- shaped groove 58 for receiving the heads 59 of a plurality of bolts 60. These bolts pass loosely through openings provided in the plate '33 and slots are cut into the plate at the position of each bolt in order to permit access to the nuts iii. The arrangement is suchthat when the nuts are loosened the bolts are permitted to swing about the annular slot or groove carrying with them the plate 33. Inasmuch as this plate is mechanically connected to the plate 30 through the dovetail 3|, the entire structure shown to the right in FigureZ and including the motor 2| and the cutter i5, is adapted to swing in a ver- .tical plane transverse to the ways of the work piece. It. is apparent that after the proper amount of swing has been determined, depending on the taper of the V-shaped grooves 3, the nuts 6| can be tightened so as firmly to hold the cutter head in its new position during thegrooving operation. 7 V

In addition to the vertical and transverse movements as wellas the movement in the vertical plane described immediately above, the cutter is also capable of being given an oscillatory movement along thedovetail slides .31. The mechanism for the last .mentioned movement will now be described.

Referring more particularly to Figures 2, 4 and V 6, .a bevel gear 62 .is shown secured in any suitable'inanner to a splined shaft 63. The front end of this shaft is 'J'Ournaled in the bracket 49 V (Figure l) and the rear end is carried in a bushing 64 fitted into the inner wall of the goose neck arm. The gear BZmeshes witha bevel gearBS keyed to a shaft fifiwhich forms a shouldered extension on-. a shaft 61. There is a relatively heavy sleeve-like block 6-8 keyed to the shaft 67 having a skirt portion fill-which extends toward the vertical member .24. The block 68 prevented from shifting longitudinally of the: shaft 61 by means of a set screw .10; The skirt portion of the block is .l'ournaled on ballbearings H, the stationary race of which may be fitted snugly within a; shouldered recess formed in the plate 3.3. At the other end the block is necked down to a relatively small diameter to be received bya ball bearing l2 ofwhich the outer racemaybe-held withirran annular shoulder 13 formed in the housing 34. V

Due to the heavy load placed on the bevel gear 62 as will be explained hereinafter, it is desirable tosupport the shaft 63 at the position of the gear by a ball=bearing 14 of any suitable and well known type secured as by a set screw with in a cylindrical extension 1.6 on the housing 34. It is preferred that the bevel gearBZ benotsecured directly tothe shaft63butrather be attached to arotary sleeve fi'5alwhich is inturn keyedas indicated at 15b to the shaft.

7 Thus, as the shaft 63 is rotated, this rotary eiTort is transferred to the block 68. The skirt portion of the blockis provided with a slot which extends in the diametral direction but is posiblock is cut'at'the proper position to receive this segmental piece. The latter is provided with a pair of spaced openings adapted loosely to receive the shouldered ends 82 of the screws 19. Thus, the screws are supported at the head end in the metal piece Ti and at the shank end in the member 80 as can be readily seen in Figure 6. The skirt portion of the block 68 is also provided with a slot 83 which extends from the lower end of the block as seen in Figure 4 as far as the joint between the shaft 6! and the block. The ends of this slot are bounded by the inner surfaces of the metal pieces 11 and 88. This slot loosely receives a rectangularly shaped slide member 84 having a height (as seen in Figure 6) substantially the same as the width of the slot 83 and having a width measured in the horizontal direction considerably less than the length of the slot. The slide 84 is provided with a pair of threaded openings which engage the screws 19. Thus by turning these screws the horizontal position of the slide within its slot may be adjusted.

In order to permit adjustment of the screws 19 an opening 85 extending transversely of the housing 34 is provided, this opening passing also through the block-68 as far as the heads of the screws. It will be noted from Figure 4 that this opening has a slightly smaller diameter than the size of the heads 50 as readily to permit a screw driver to be inserted for turning the screws and.

yet will prevent any longitudinal movement of the screws when they are rotated. It will be understood that it is intended that only the slide 84 shall be moved when the screws are turned and that the screws remain in their relative position during their operation.

The slide 84 carries a stub shaft 88 which has a shouldered extension 81. This extension is tightly fitted into a slide member 88 of rectangular configuration. There is a slot 87' provided in the plate member 33 which has a width sufilcient snugly but slidably to receive the member 88 and a length considerably greater than the length of the slide member. Actually, the length of the slot in the plate member 39 is suflicient to accommodate the maximum throw of the shaft 88 when the block 68 is rotated. A consideration of Figure 4 will show that the shaft 86 is positioned eccentrically with respect to the axis of the block 68 and this eccentricity may be adjusted by turning the screws 19, which in effect moves the slide 84 within its slot 83 (Figure 6). Consequently, as the block 68 is rotated the stub shaft 86 will have a throw depending on its position with respect to the shaft 61, similar to a crank pin, and this throw can be resolved into two directions of movement at right angles to each other. One direction of movement is accommodated by permitting the slide 88 freely to move in a slot which is sufficiently long to accommodate the entire movement and the other direction of movement can be accommodated only by causing the plate member 38 to move with respect to the plate member 33 since the slide 88 fits snugly within its slot in this direction. Thus, as the block 68 continues to rotate, the plates 38 and 33 are caused to slide past one another at the dovetail joint 3! (Figure 1) givin the cutter head a short oscillatory movement transversely of the machine. It will be understood that this oscillatory or sinusoidal movement of the cutter head is of a continuous character as long as the shaft 63 is rotated. As stated hereinbefore, the extent or amplitude of this oscillatory movement can be controlled by adjusting the screws I9 which in turn determines the amount of eccentricity of the shaft or pin 88.

Theshaft 63 is given a, continuous rotary movement through mechanism which will now be described. This shaft is provided with an extension 89 which is journaled in a bearing 98 of any suit-v able character and formed in the outer wall of the goose neck frame. A gear 9! is keyed to the shaft 89, this gear engaging with a pinion 92 keyed to a shaft 93 which is journaled between the walls 44, 45 of the frame. The shaft 93 is provided with a sprocket 94 over which a chain 95 travels to a sprocket 96 keyed to a shaft 91. The latter is journaled in any suitable manner within the base casting 56. The horizontal walls 53, 55 of the frame are provided with an opening 98 sufiiciently large to permit clearance to the chain 95. There is an outboard gear 99 keyed to the shaft 91, this gear engaging a rack I secured to the table 5. Thus, as the latter is moved longitudinally of the machine, the rack will give a rotary effort to the gear 99 which in turn through the shaft 91,- the chain 95, the shaft 93, the pinion 92 and the gear 9| will drive the shaft 83. It will be noted that the latter is splined in order to permit the bevel gear 62 and its associated bearing to move longitudinally of the shaft and still supply a' rotary effort between the shaft and the gear.

It is apparent that as the table 5 moves longitudinally of the machine and the cutter head 16 is given a transverse movement in the manner described hereinbefore, the composite effect of these motions is to produce grooves 4 having a sinusoidal shape formed of positive and negative loops. The amplitude of these loops is controlled by the amount of throw of the eccentric 8B and the distance between the center lines of two adjacent positive loops is determined by the rate of rotation of the shaft 63. The speed of the latter is in turn controlled by the rate of movement of the table 5 and more particularly by the gear ratio between the pinion 92 and the gear 9 I. This ratio may be changed by varying the size of the gears and for this purpose a removable cover I8! is provided. In the event that it is desired to cut the lubricating grooves along tapered surfaces 3, the member 24 which carries the motor 2| and the cutter head is simply swung around to the proper angle by loosening the nuts 6| until the cutter I6 is presented normally to the tapered surface.

It will be noted that when the member 24 is in this position there is no interference with the depth of cut controlling the handle 29 nor of the handle 59 which controls the transverse position of the cutter. Thus, all of the adjustments of the cutter, including every transverse longitudinal and vertical movement of the cutter, are available, even though the'position of the cutter has been moved through an angle so as to present the cutting tool to the tapered surface. It is further apparent that except for the motor 2| which drives the cutter no source of mechanical power is necessary other than a single motor l4 so that synchronism is assured between all of the operating movements of the cutter. It is therefore possible to obtain symmetry of shape, in-

.88 can be placed in line i. e. concentric, with the shaft 61 so that the groove will take the rying slide mounted upon said member for adjustment normal to said axis.

9. A machine for grooving a workpiece comprising a reciprocatory table on which the workpiece is mounted, said table being mounted on a bed and a frame extending from said bed to a position above said workpiece, a tool holder pivotally secured to said frame and a grooving tool carried thereby to be presented perpendicularly to said workpiece, said holder including a plate directly supporting said tool and adapted to move with respect to said frame in a second direction normal to the direction in which said workpiece moves and at right angles to the axis of said tool, and means for oscillating said plate relative to said workpiece and at variable frequency and amplitude comprising means drivingly connecting said plate and table and including change gears and an adjustable throw eccentric.

10. In a machine for grooving the ways of machine tools, means supporting said ways for translation in a first direction parallel to the ways to be grooved, a frame, a. housing, means guiding said housing on said frame in a second direction normal to said first direction, a member pivoted on said housing on an axis parallel to said first direction, means on said member adapted to carry a tool for grooving said ways, and means extending through said housing and engaging said member and operable to oscillate said member along an axis normal to the axis of said tool and also to said first direction in predetermined timed relationship to the translation of said ways.

11. In a grooving machine for grooving a surface of a workpiece, first support means longitudinally movable in a first direction, work holder means for holding the workpiece, tool holder means for holding a grooving tool, second sup-- port means for supporting one of said holder means, the other of said holder means being supported by said first support means, laterally movable means for providing relative movement between said work holder means and said tool holder means in a second direction transversely of said first direction, guide means carried by said second support means and having guide surfaces thereon extending in a plane parallel to said second direction and transverse to said first direction, said guide surfaces being adjustable in a plane parallel to said second direction, said one of said holder means being slidable on and along said guide surfaces, variable throw crank means connected to reciprocate said one of said holders along said surfaces, and means including gear elements connected to longitudinally move said first support means in said first direction and to rotate said crank means in predetermined timed relation.

PHILBER A. ABE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 856,306 Smith June 11, 1907 1,696,660 Wegner Dec. 25, 1928 1,838,816 Fickett et al Dec. 29, 1931 1,879,548 Sethman Sept. 27, 1932 1,937,408 Johnson Nov. 28, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 133,588 Great Britain Oct. 16, 1919 

